The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between androgynous personality characteristics and measures of adaptation to spousal bereavement. A group of widows over the age of 60 (half typed as "androgynous" and half as "non-androgynous" whose spouses died within the preceding one to two years will be interviewed. The dependent variables to be measured are: psychological status (i.e., levels of depression and grief symptoms), physical health (i.e., number of diseases and their severity plus medications taken and ratings of overall health); life satisfaction; and coping strength. Several predictor variables (known from previous research to influence adjustment to widowhood) will be statistically controlled through the use of covariance and/or partial correlation procedures. These are: length of time since spouse's death; adequacy of social support network; and stressfulness of additional negative life events experienced since spouse's death. It is hypothesized that androgynous older women (i.e. those with both masculine and feminine personality traits) will be in better physical and psychological health, be more satisfied with life and use more successful coping strategies, than non-androgynous comparison subjects. The correlational data from this pilot study should provide the basis for a more long-term prospective investigation of changes in sex roles before and after widowhood, and perhaps for the development of strategies for modifying sex role characteristics in widowhood to maximize effective coping.